The Future of Controllers

I like having a mixing desk.  I find reaching up to a touch screen very awkward and tiring.  Even the mighty Rave is at an odd angle.  I have a VS-700 and it is fine, but am not confident it will continue to work with future releases of Sonar.
 
If hardware controllers that work with Sonar (or anything) become rare or non-existent, I could accept this:
 
• Two large touch screens and a custom studio desk.
• One touch screen would be mounted in the position of a hardware console and would be dedicated to some sort of console view.
• The second screen would be mounted in the standard monitor position for track view, staff view, and other DAW functions.
 
I don't think I would love this like I love motorized faders and channel strips, but I could learn to work with it, and obsolescence would not be an issue.
 
Thoughts?
 

I truly hope that continued support for existing hardware remains, and honestly believe that CW will strive for this. Touch screens never enticed me much due to ergonomic issues (they really need to be inclined and not vertical, and within reach like a true console) and the fact that a fingertip only has "so much" resolution (SONAR has a very complex GUI). I still have the mental hurdle of seeing touch screens as... well... a giant cell phone, which is a major turn-off for me.
 
For your peace of mind, you may want to shoot Noel a PM, but I truly doubt there is any intention to remove support for the VS gear. The bakers do a lot of work to ensure older hardware is carried forward, and really deserve credit for that. The VS gear was specific to SONAR (and expensive), so I find the scenario of "forgotten" extremely unlikely.

Karl,  What you need is one of these..
 
But this should be in the Hardware Forum....

When I do live FOH I use Presonus SL32Ai which is the full console version of the new rack unit, but even having a desk full of knobs and faders available I do 99% of the work from the virtual console on my iPad.
 
It's hard to see how this could be useful in Sonar though.  It would give you a 32 input rack mount audio interface, but the main functionality (ie, the mixer functions) would be redundant.
 
 
I love talking about mixers,  but it is a hardware topic, not a Sonar one, so I'm moving it..
 

I have a BCF2000.  I've been looking at the new Behringer X-Touch units that are coming this winter.   I don't like the iPad controllers or having another screen type device.  The motorized faders fascinate clients too (LOL).
 
I tried one of the iPad controllers and it didn't have all the needed functions and it required the PC to be on-line.  I take my recording system PC off line when recording (or mixing). 

I actually use my console less and less these days because I find I am nuts about accuracy and prefer drawing everything in. I do like the idea of using a touchscreen console which would be easier to use if mounted at a an 18 degree angle, but right now I feel they aren't up to where they need to be in order to use them for music production. Many of them have issues yet that need to be worked out. Give it a few years and I might consider them again, but for now, I'm okay using my VS700 and mouse.

Karyn said: "Another point I'd like to make though, is that if you have a hardware controller that uses a virtual console on a touch screen... why not just use the Console View in the first place?"
 
I was speaking generically when I talked about using a virtual console.  With Sonar, I would the Console view on the lower monitor and use the upper monitor for Track, Staff, or other views.  So, I think we are agreeing.
 
Thanks.

Ok..at the risk of sounding really dumb, I'm going to ask a question. But first I should say that I've been using Pro-tools for years. I have two Digi 002 mixers and of course they were part of the Pro-tools package. After my computer got infected with a ransomware virus I lost the program, and Avid no longer supported my computer, so I switched to Sonar Professional. I'm a folk/Singer/Songwriter and it serves my needs perfectly. Here's the problem: I see a lot of posts from people saying you don't need a mixer. You have a virtual mixer with Sonar and that's all you need. But what am I supposed to plug my Mic's and guitar into? In Pro-tools, I plugged my mics into the Digi002 mxer. I was told that the Digi 002 would serve as the interface with Sonar. It uses a fire-wire connection. I have plenty of channels for inputs and only need a few, but  I don't see how I can get around not using a mixer or external control surface. How do I get the mixer to speak to Sonar? How does Sonar recognize the signal from the mixer so that I can use the virtual mixer in the Sonar Pro program? How do I record anything without an external  mixer/control surface?

Adagio4639
Ok..at the risk of sounding really dumb, I'm going to ask a question. But first I should say that I've been using Pro-tools for years. I have two Digi 002 mixers 

FWIW, The Digi 002 is an audio interface (provides I/O).
Running Sonar, you have a wide choice of audio interfaces.  
If the audio interface provides low round-trip latency, you can effectively use it (and your DAW) as a digital mixer.
 
Many current generation audio interfaces provide I/O... along with full routing, DSP-FX processing (EQ, Dynamics, Ambience), and external control via iPAD.  This certainly blurs the line between audio interface and digital mixer.

I sometimes bring up a tv to use as a second monitor. I would definitely not buy a non touch monitor for sonar. I regularly use the touch and so do my friends. Making it so guests can twiddle plugin parameters is great. No good to have one touch and one not touch.

I measured the KWh per consumption of my 23 inch Dell touch screen. 0.027. At my electricity rates, it costs about $25 a year in power if I never turn it off. My whole rig costs around 120 per year in electricity... not counting amps and performance related gear.

I have a alpha track, but that only gets used if sonar might not have the focus in Windows.